Expansible work-engaging tool



Oct. 22, 1929. KOPPL 1,732,563

EXPANSIBLE WORK ENGAGING TOOL Filed Oct. 12', 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z /jd I Z g m 1 N VEN TOR. EzAfb-sr KOPPL.

ATTORNEYS,

Oct. 22, 1929 E. KOPPL 1,732,563

EXPANSIBLE WORK ENGAGING TOOL Filed on. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-511061. 2

- INVEN TOR.

ERNEST KOPPL ATTORNEY6 Patented Oct. 22, 1929 1,732,563

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ERNEST KOPPL, F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA EXPANSIBLE Wonk-ENGAGING TOOL Application filed October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,646.

This invention relates to a tool for engagof the socket in the body is an expander coming work while being manipulated in a hole, prising a stem 15 reduced in diameter at the and may be specifically embodied in a grab, upper end as indicated by 16 and threaded casing spear or like tool having members at the uppermost end. The lower end of the expansible and contractible to engage work expander includes a wedge 17. On the in- 55 such as easing, fish and the like. ciined faces of the wedge and projecting It is necessary to obtain a firm hold upon therefrom are dove-tail tenons l8 and 19. such work, and tools of this character are The side faces of the wedge head have slot-s manipulated from the surface of the ground. in which the ribs 14.- and slide. Thus the 10 The amount of movement permitted of the xpander head is maintained against side 60 parts is limited. It is the primary object of movement as it is moved up and down in the this invention to provide a tool wherein body. motion transmission is employed for expan- The work engaging members of the grab sion and collapsion of the Work engaging comprise jaws and 21. The jaw 20 has a 15 members which transmission will multiply center eye 22disposed between eyes 23 form- 65 the force transmitted to the work engaging ing apart of jaw 20. A pivot pin 24extends members. A more specific object of this inthrough the jaws and the legs of the body. vention is to employ a jack screw mechanism The jaws have mortise grooves 25 and 26 and wedges or inclined planes for operating for engagement by the tenons 18 and 19.

29 the work engaging members, all arranged Obviously, the actual movement of the ex- 70 compactly in a strong and durable structure pander or wedge will cause the jaws to be and easily manipulated. expanded and contracted. By projecting Other objects and advantages will be made the wedge head. between the aws, their grabfully apparent from the following specificahing ends are brought together so as to col- 25 tion considered in connection with the aclapse or contract the latter. A great deal companying drawing, in which: of force is required to obtain a firm hold,

Fig. 1 is an axial section through a grab, and, to this end, I have provided a jack the expander being shown in elevation; Fig. screw mechanism to project and retract the 2 is a section as seen on the line 2-2 of Fig. expander. A screw member 27 is rotatably 30 1; Fig. 3 is an axial section of a fragment mounted upon the reduced port-ion 15 of the showing a different type of jack screw stem and held in positionby a nut 28. The structure adapt-able for the tools; Fig. is a screw member has an external square thread section as seen on the line t4l of Fig. 1; whichmeshes with the internal thread in the Fig. 5 is an axial section through a casing socket 13 of the body. The upper end of the spear, the expander being shown in elevation; screw is provided with a box 29 having a 0 Fig 6 a section as seen on the line 6-6 of tapered threaded socket to receive the pin Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of a end of a tool joint 30 or like member. It

fragment of the grab jaws and body as seen will be noted that the external shoulder beon the line 77 of Fig. 5. low head 29 will abut the upper edge of soclret Referring with more particularity to Figs. 13 so as to prevent binding of the threads 9 1, 2 and 4:, the body of the grab is indicated and permit backing off with ease. The tool by 10. It has a bifurcated lower end comjoint is provided with a bore for circulation prising opposing legs 11 and 12. These legs and as will be noted from an inspection of are alike in construction. The upper end of Fig 2., and the expander is likewise prothe body includesa socket 13, the bore thereof vided with a circulation passage extending being internally threaded. On the legs and through the center.

opposing each other are guide ribs 14 and To operate the tool just described,itis low- 15 for the expander. The legs at their lower. ered in the hole with the jaws expanded until ends boredto receive a pivot pin. the fish? is engaged, the tool being landed.

Slidably mounted in a bore at the bottom Thereupon, the drill stem is rotated causing 7 structure is shown. There is a body 10 havrotation of the screw 27. Rotation is efiected in the direction such as to advance the screw into the socket so as to project the wedge being legs 11 and 12 and a socket 19f. The socket has a smooth here except for the upper end which is threaded. as indicated by 31. The stem is externally threaded and engages a rotatable sleeve 32 having a thread therein at the lower end. The upper end has a box 33 with a tapered threaded socket for the reception of a pin end of a tool joint.

shoulder on the sleeve. 25,

A shell 34 is engaged with the thread 31 and extends into the socket of the body engaging a shoulder at the lower end of the sleeve. The upper-end engages an opposing This swivels the sleeve ,tothe body and permits free rotation which may be effected by the drill string. It is apparent that rotation of the drill string will cause the threaded stem 15 to be raised and lowered so as to effectexpansion and collapsion of the jaws.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the invention is shown embodied in a grab. The grab comprises a body 35, bifurcated at the lower end to provide legs 36 and 87. Pivotally mounted in the legs is a set ot'jaws 38 and 39 of the same general construction so far as mounting is concerned as the grab jaws. However, the jaws are intended to expand and engage a casing or the like, and the upper ends of the jaws are for this purpose. The jaws are corrugated or serrated as indicated by 40. As the tool isnot landed on the bottom, and has to have means on the side to engage the casing and to hold the body against rotation, I have provided springs 42 and 43 intended to frictionally engage the inside of the casing. The jaws at their inner and upper opposing faces are. provided with mortise groove for the engagement by tenons on the expander head 44. The expander head is substantial- 1y identical with that before described, the stemfi thereof extending into the socket on the body. The stem extends slida-bly and .4 rotatably through the screw 46 having a thread meshing with the thread in the box of the body 35. Thereis a threaded pin 47 at the top of the screw member engaged in the box of a tubular member 48. The bore in the screw member 46 is threaded at the upper end to receive an adjustment sleeve 49.. The adjustment sleeve a uts at its lower face a shoulder on the. stem 45. The up per reduced end of the stem is threaded as indicated and receives a nut 51. Obviously the nut 51 and sleeve 49 serve to provide a swivel connection between the stem 45 and the body of the tool together with the string of drill pipe. By turning the drill string and screw 46 therewith, the stem will be compelled to move axially within the body 35, so as to expand and collapse the jaws. The initial expansion of the jaws is obtained by adjusting the sleeve 49 up or down within the screw. The tool is operated by lowering it in the casing until the point is reached in which a hold is desired. The leaves 42 and 43 will frictionally engage the casing and resist turning of the lower end of the tool, so that upon turning the drill string, the screw 46 will be moved up or down and thereby the wedge ist will be proj ected between the aws or retracted depending upon the direction of rotation.

Various changes may be made in the structure to provide a jack screw connection between the expander and the drill string. There are various other mechanical variations possible making the tool adaptable for other purposes.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A tool of the character described comprising a body, work engaging jaws pivotally secured together intermediate their ends and mounted on said body, an expander having a stem and a wedge head converging toward the front and disposed to engage said jaws at the rear oi the pivotal axis to cause collapsion and expansion of said jaws, a screw member rotatably mounted on said stem and adapted to be connected to a drill string, said body having a threaded socket in which said screw member is engaged whereby rotation of the drill string will cause projection and retraction of said ex pander.

2. A tool of the character described comprising a body, work engaging jaws pivotally secured together intermediate their ends and projecting in advance of said body, an expander having a stemv and a wedge head converging toward the front and positively engaged with said jaws at the rear of their pivotal axis a screw member rotatably mounted on said stem and adapted to be connected to a drill string, said body having a threaded socket in which said screw member is engaged whereby rotation of the drill string will cause projection and retraction of said expander.

33. A tool of the character described comprising a body, work engaging aws pivotally secured together intermediate their ends and mounted on said body to project therefrom an expander having a stem and a wedge head for projection and retraction between said jaws and engaged therewith at the rear of the pivotal axis, said wedge head converging toward the front, jack screw means rotatably mounted on said stem so as to compel axial movement of the latter and coupled to said body whereby rotation of one of said jack screw members in one direction Will advance said stem and cause collapsion of the front ends of said jaws and rotation in the opgosite direction will cause expansion thereof.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of September, 1927.

ERNEST KOPPL. 

